James Franco forced sex, removed actress' genital guard

Five women are accusing James Franco of sexual misconduct in a Los Angeles Times expose.

Violet Paley had a consensual relationship with the actor, but claims that he once forced her into performing oral sex on her while they sat in his car.

The other four women were students at Studio 4, Franco's now-closed acting school, and claim the 39-year-old Oscar nominee asked women both on set and in class to perform topless or even completely nude.

One of those women, Sarah Tither-Kaplan, claims that she was shooting a nude orgy scene with Franco and several other actresses on one of the actor's film projects when he took off the protective piece of plastic covering their genitals while simulating oral sex.

This is not the first time Paley and Tither-Kaplan are speaking out, with both women having shared parts of their story on Twitter this weekend following Franco's Golden Globe win for Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical.

Franco, speaking through his lawyer, Michael Plonsker, denied the allegations being made by all five women.

He did however call and apologize to both Tither-Kaplan and Paley according to the two women. 

Franco also painted himself as a martyr for the case while appearing of Seth Meyers' NBS show on Wednesday, stating: 'There are stories that need to get out. There are people that need to be heard.

'I have my own side of this story, but I believe in, you know, these people that have been underrepresented getting their stories out enough that I will, you know, hold back things that I could say just because I believe in it that much. 

'And if I have to take a knock because I'm not going to, you know, try and, you know, actively refute things, then I will, because I believe in it that much.'

Scroll down for video 

Troiuble: Five women are accusing James Franco (above in his film The Long Home) of sexual misconduct in the Los Angeles Times, including four women who took acting classes with the Oscar nominee

Claims: Sarah Tither-Kaplan (left, Violet paley on right) claims a topless video of her made for Franco's class at Studio 4 was uploaded without her prior knowledge or consent

Set: She is also claiming that Franco removed the plastic genital guards that several actresses were wearing for a nude orgy scene in his film The Long Home (Tither-Kaplan circled in red on set)

Perplexing: Franco call and apologize to both Tither-Kaplan and Paley (above) according to the two women

Tither-Kaplan, 26, said that landing a role in Franco's upcoming film The Long Home was a huge break for her after working with the actor at Studio 4.

While at Studio 4 she had enrolled in Franco’s Sex Scenes master class, and in one short video that she filmed for the class she appeared topless.

That video was then uploaded to Vimeo without her knowledge she claims, and projecting an image she is not comfortable with while trying to move up in the industry.

And a still from the video ended up on at least one adult website according to Tither-Kaplan.

'Now, if you Google me, you can see me naked. Before I’ve ever been on TV or before I’ve ever had any real credits or before any of this - of course I regret that. I don’t want that,' said the young woman.

RELATED ARTICLES

• Previous
• 1
• Next

• 'You¿ve been part of the problem for decades': Seal slams... Franco the 'martyr': Golden Globe winner tells Seth Meyers...

Share this article

Despite this, she was happy to take a role on The Long Home, which Franco is both directing  and starring in alongside an eclectic cast of actors including Ashton Kutcher, Courtney Love, Robin Lord Taylor, Annaleigh Tipton, Josh Hutcherson and Oscar-winner Timothy Hutton.

While on set, Tither-Kaplan was asked if she would be willing to appear in a nude orgy scene, which she admittedly agreed to do because she saw her appearance in the film as a big break in her career.

Winner: Allegations against Franco gained notice in the wake of his Golden Globe win (above)

Tither-Kaplan appeared with several other women in the scene, and they each wore nothing but a piece of plastic known as a genital guard.

She claims that when it came time for Franco to simulate oral sex on the actresses, he removed the guard and continued to act out the scene with no barrier between his mouth and the women's vaginas. 

Her willingness to appear in the nude orgy shoot got Tither-Kaplan asked back to film another scene.

This time it was an unscripted bit that required her to be topless while wearing an animal skull and dancing around in a circle with other women.

One of the actresses declined to appear topless in the scene and was not asked back on set by Franco according to Tither-Kaplan. 

'I got it in my head pretty quickly that, OK, you don’t say ‘no’ to this guy,' she said of Franco.

An actress who appeared alongside her in those two scenes confirmed Tither-Kaplan's account, while Franco's lawyer said “the allegations about the protective guards are not accurate.'

The casting director on the film, Cynthia Huffman, also commented on the claims by saying she 'personally checked on all the actresses' during the shoot.'

'James is all about giving up and comers, actors and actresses and young filmmakers a break in this business,' said Huffman. 

'I feel horrible that anyone was made to feel uncomfortable but we went to great lengths to make sure all the actresses in the nude scenes felt comfortable and safe.'

Support system: Kathy Griffin jumped in the fray on Thursday to show support for Ally Sheedy (above)

No comment: Franco was speechless as he landed in NYC on Monday night with his brother Dave Franco by his side (above)

Allegation: Tither-Kaplan claimed on Sunday that she was forced to do 'exploitative' scenes with 'full nudity' in two of Franco's films while being paid just $100 (tweets above)

 Paley, 23, said that Franco was a mentor who was helping her on a script she was working on back in 2016, which eventually led to a relationship between the two.

It was at the start of that relationship when she claims Franco forced her into performing a sex act.

'I was talking to him, all of a sudden his penis was out,' said Paley. 

'I got really nervous, and I said, "Can we do this later?" He was kind of nudging my head down, and I just didn’t want him to hate me, so I did it.'

She said that she was able to stop only when she claimed to see people approaching the car. 

Hilary Dusome and Natalie Chmiel said they became disenfranchised with Franco and his acting classes back in 2012 when they were selected to appear in what they were led to believe was a short art film.

It was midway through the shoot, which took place at a strip club, when they claim Franco asked them if they would be willing to go topless.

When none of the women volunteered he allegedly stormed off the set. 

'I felt like I was selected for something based on my hard work and my merit, and when I realized it was because I have nice [breasts], it was pretty clear that was not the case,' said Dusome. 

'I don't think he started teaching with bad intentions, but he went down a bad path and damaged a lot of people in the process.'

Chmiel echoed this, stating: 'He just took advantage of our eagerness to work and be a part of something bigger. We were all these up-and-coming actors who were so hopeful.'

Franco's lawyer again denied these allegations, and urged people to loss at Franco's recent comments during an appearance on Later Night with Stephen Colbert.

His personal apologies meanwhile came after the Harvey Weinstein scandal broke according to Tither-Kaplan and Paley.

'I want to give him credit for at least being open to communicating with me,' said Tither-Kaplan.

'I felt that he was still not really taking accountability for the environment on the sets.' 

Paley said she emailed Franco personally after the Weinstein news broke and got a response from Franco over the phone.

She claims the actor called to tell her he was 'a changed man.'

JAMES FRANCO SAYS HE IS NOT DENYING SEXUAL MISCONDUCT ALLEGATIONS TO HELP WOMEN

James Franco spoke about the allegations being amde against him on Late Night With Seth Meyers on Wednesday (above)

Seth Meyers: I'm very glad you're here. I want to talk about The Disaster Artist, which I loved, and want to get to the Golden Globes, but one of the things that happened at the Golden Globes - and obviously, this happened in the last couple of days before we had you booked on the show and I'm glad you're still here. You were wearing a time's up button like a lot of guys at the show and some women during your time on stage said that was hypocritical, they went to Twitter and said that it was hypocritical based on their experiences that they have had with you. They made some allegations. I wonder if you have read those tweets, and if so, how you respond to them?

James Franco: Yes. I was sent a couple of the tweets, so yeah, I did read them. I haven't responded. I think, well the ones I read were not accurate, but one of the things that I've learned is that this is a conversation that obviously needs to be had. There are people, women and others who have not been a part of this conversation and I truly believe and why I was wearing the pin is that they need to be a part of this conversation and so I support that.

Seth: Ally Sheedy also had a tweet. She has since took it down. I heard you mention last night on Stephen Colbert's show that you had directed her in a play. You've had a good experience with her. Have you reached out to her as someone, and, are you not curious as to why she would do that if you had, from your perspective, a good relationship with her?

James: Yes, I had a great relationship with her. She took the tweet down, I don't know. I really don't

Seth: Not curious enough though to reach out to her as someone that you've had a good relationship with before and to try to understand why she would have done that?

James: I don't know. I - it was so shocking. I don't know. I just - I guess I'm just letting it be.

Seth: The last thing I'll say, or ask about this I should say, this moment, you know, I think this is an exciting time because it's allowing us all remember, especially as men, that there were other people in different perspectives for things that we experienced. Does this Times Up movement and this moment we're having right now, does it make you look back at all and question any of your behavior in the past based on this new perspective we're getting on how women have perceived things for so long?

James: I think what I really learned and being here and this week and that show that we were you know ... I mean it was so powerful in there.

Seth: That we heard some amazing things from some amazing women.

James: Like I said, there are stories that need to get out. There are people that need to be heard. I have my own side of this story, but I believe in, you know, these people that have been underrepresented getting their stories out enough that I will, you know, hold back things that I could say just because I believe in it that much. And if I have to take a knock because I'm not going to, you know, try and, you know, actively refute things, then I will, because I believe in it that much.

Source: Late Night With Seth Meyers 

Boy's club: Franco hosted a dinner for the other male actors nominated in the film categories at Sunday night's Golden Globes earlier in the week (l to r: Armie Hammer, Timothee Chalamet, Michael Stuhlberg, Richard Jenkins, Tom Hanks, Hugh Jackman, Gary Oldman, Ansel Elgort, James Franco, Daniel Kaluuya and Sam Rockwell)

Strong tweets: 'Why is a man hosting? Why is James Franco allowed in? Said too much. Nite love ya,' wrote Sheedy, 55, at the start of the telecast (Sheedy's three tweets above)

Meeting: Lucy Clode (above) shared this video on Instagram with James in the background following a March 2014 performance

Actress Ally Sheedy made waves when she called out Franco on Sunday, doing so in a series of tweets throughout the show.

'Why is a man hosting? Why is James Franco allowed in? Said too much. Nite love ya,' wrote Sheedy at the start of the telecast.

'Ok wait. Bye. Christian Slater and James Franco at a table on ‪@goldenglobes ‪#MeToo‪,' said Sheedy an hour into the program.

And in her final tweet, posted right after Franco's victory in the  Best Actor category, she said: 'James Franco just won. Please never ever ask me why I left the film/tv business.' 

Sheedy later deleted the tweets, but soon after she posted a number of women began to speak out against the actor for his admission back in 2014 that he pursued a relationship with a 17-year-old student. 

The incident these tweets apparently reference happened back in 2014 when the actor began corresponding with a Scottish teenager.

Lucy Clode, who was 17 at the time, had gone to see Franco on Broadway in Of Mice and Men, and posted a photo to Instagram of herself and the actor taken while he signed autographs that night.

Franco then reached out to Lucy and, after learning she was just 17, began to exchange a number of suggestive messages before asking her what hotel she was staying at in the city.

Disaster: Ally Sheedy went after James Franco on Twitter following his Best Actor win at the Golden Globes on Sunday (pair above in 2014 at the opening night party for The Long Shrift)

'Your single? What's the hotel? Should I rent a room?' wrote Franco to the teenager in one rapid-fire exchange.

When she then responded by saying she did not think he was the real James Franco, the actor took a photo of himself waving and sent it to the young tourist.

He then wrote: 'It's me. Yes or no? Tomorrow or Thursday?'

Franco's persistence was later revealed when Clode posted the exchange on her account, forcing the actor to address his pursuit of the teen. 

He addressed the controversy during an appearance on Live With Kelly and Michael.

'It's the way that people meet each other today, but what I've learned- I guess because I'm new to it- is you don't know who's on the other end,' said Franco.

'You get a feel for them, you don't know who you're talking to.'

He then added: 'I used bad judgement and I learned my lesson.' 

Franco did not at any point mention the fact that Clode was just 17 and a tourist.  

A 2014 New York Times profile of Sheedy reveals that it was around this same time that she first met the actor.

Sheedy said that she was volunteering at the famed LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in Manhattan when Franco came in to speak with the students while he was appearing on Broadway.

She described the actor as 'a beautiful, generous man' at the time, and said that soon after they met he asked if she would star in an off-Broadway production of The Long Shrift he planned to direct.

It is unclear however what exactly happened between that first meeting and Sunday to upset Sheedy so much.

The actress also liked a few tweets on Sunday in response to her posts, including one that read: 'ALLY SHEEDY QUEEN OF NOT HAVING TIME FOR YOUR HYPOCRISY.'

Another tweet liked by Sheedy read: 'I don't know why this made me tear up, but it's been one of those nights.' 

Sheedy shot to fame in the 80s as a member of the Brat Pack, earning her spot in the infamous eight-actor clique following her roles in The Breakfast Club and St. Elmo's Fire.

She went on to star in more independent fare like the 1998 film High Art, and in recent years has appeared in just a handful of movies and television programs.  

'First of all, I have no idea what I did to Ally Sheedy,' said Franco wjile appearing on Colbert earlier this week. 

'I directed her in a play Off Broadway, I had nothing but a great time with her, total respect for her. I have no idea why she was upset.'

He went on to state: 'The things that I heard that were on Twitter are not accurate, but I completely support people coming out and being able to have a voice.'

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7pa3IpbCmmZmhe6S7ja6iaKaVrMBwrdGtoJyklWKCc4GXcGtyZ3qWuqa%2FjH%2BpmqaTpHqnu9GcnJ1lo5rFbr7EpqavnZRirqTA0Z6qrGWXmruqwMClZKCtkaexb7TTpqM%3D